Rezoning on gulf islands puts rates up

Hundreds of Hauraki Gulf island landowners face rate rises as a result of the Auckland City Council's move to reclassify their properties from rural to higher rates-yielding classes.

The council says it has to bring properties on Waiheke, Great Barrier and Rakino into line with its rating group policy.

But on Great Barrier Island, 90km from Auckland City, pensioner Joe Joynes said the rates bill for his section will double - from $723 to $1478.

"It's a blatant money grab," said Mr Joynes.

His 1ha at Tryphena has a shed, a future house site and protected native bush.

"It's been zoned as rural since subdivision 40 years ago.

"Now someone has looked at this little piece of land and reclassified it 'Great Barrier Non Residential' and lo and behold the rates double. There are no council services for those rates."

Mr Joynes, who has no plans to build on his section, said the notification "came out of the blue" and gave less than a fortnight to make a case.

Council deputy finance chairman Paul Goldsmith said correcting the rating group from rural to non-residential or residential meant a rates rise for 244 properties.

The move ensured owners were charged the right amount based on a property's use and location.

During the city's revaluation last year, council valuers identified island properties that they said had been incorrectly classed as Rural One for years.

The city's draft 10-year plan proposed small changes to the names and definitions of six rating groups.

Under these changes, said Mr Goldsmith, 76 properties would get rates reductions.

The plan's proposal to change from "rural one" to "Great Barrier Island non- residential" will cover all land not in classified as residential, farming or open space.

The proposed definition of farming and open space rating class includes vacant land and bush blocks greater than 5ha.

"It's typical ... we have an urban council which wants one size to fit all," said the island community board's chairman, Paul Downie.

The board wanted the definition to be reduced to 4ha.

This would bring in the island's 10-acre blocks, many of which have regenerating bush that could not be cleared for farming under district plan rules.

"Conservation should be financially encouraged - not thrashed," said Mr Downie.

Last month, owners on Kawau Island protested at Rodney District Council rates rises of up to 220 per cent.